“It’s impossible for you to be a dork, you’re Tanner Layne’s son and just like him, so there is no way you could be a dork,” Rocky assured him.
“You think I’m just like Dad?” Tripp asked, his voice intense.
“Sure, a younger version of him, maybe, but yes.”
“I don’t look like him,” Tripp noted.
“So?” Rocky prompted.
“Jas does,” Tripp remarked.
“Yes, he does but that doesn’t mean Layne didn’t give you both the best parts of him and those have nothing to do with how hot he is,” Rocky stated.
There was silence and then Tripp said quietly, “That right there is why I gotta say somethin’ dorky.”
“So say it, Tripp, jeez,” Jasper prompted.
“Okay, Jas, but it’s gonna sound stupid.” Tripp was hesitant.
“Just say it, dude,” Jasper pushed.
“Okay, well… yesterday sucked and I didn’t like watchin’ you go through that, Rocky, and I was thinkin’ last night about it and thinkin’ I didn’t like watchin’ that but why wasn’t because it sucked, you havin’ to go through that but because you were hurting and I didn’t like watchin’ you hurt so I reckon that means I love you,” Tripp announced, that burn in Layne’s chest deepened significantly and Tripp went on. “So, I know that’s dorky but your Mom died and my Dad got shot so I guess you should tell people how you feel so they know.” He paused. “So see, stupid.”
There was again silence before Layne heard Rocky reply. “Not stupid, baby, and thank you. That feeling is mutual… for both you guys.”
“Cool,” Tripp whispered.
“Yeah, cool,” Jasper repeated, also on a whisper.
Layne was done so he moved down the stairs, his head turned to the right and he caught sight of them the minute the stairwell opened up. He was right; they were all on the big sectional. Rocky against the back, near the corner, legs curled up, facing Tripp who was sitting with his back to a cushion, his legs stretched out in front of him, feet crossed at the ankles. Jasper was lying full out on his back close to the foot of the couch with Blondie stretched out beside him, on her back, with all four of her legs hanging in the air.
Eyes came to him, including Blondie’s, excluding Jasper’s.
“Hey Dad,” Tripp called.
“Pal,” Layne replied.
“Yo Dad,” Jasper said, he had a video game in his hands over his face and he didn’t even look at his old man.
“Yo,” Layne repeated, his eyes moving to Rocky who was watching him move, her lips smiling, giving him the dimple.
Layne stopped at the side of the sectional, put his hands on his hips and Blondie jerked, rolled to her belly and her neck twisted so she could stare at Layne, her dog eyes showing she was trying to understand his intent. Did his presence mean he was going to pet her, let her outside and go with her to throw her ball or was he there to give her dog treats?
“Good call, sweetcheeks, this couch,” he tipped his head to the couch.
“It’s comfy,” Rocky replied.
“It is, Dad, totally comfy,” Tripp agreed. “It’s the shit. Giselle and I are gonna study here.”
“No you’re not, me and Keirry are,” Jasper returned and Layne knew he was serious about staking this claim because he moved the video game from his face to pierce his brother with a stare.
“I called it!” Tripp shouted.
“So? I’m older than you,” Jasper shot back.
“So?” Tripp returned, “That doesn’t mean anything.”
Layne moved to the other end, over Jasper’s head, and he shifted his body into the couch, claiming Rocky, he settled into the corner and she curled into his body and his arms as Blondie got up, walked over Jasper, got close and snuffled Layne’s hand. The minute he started scratching her head, she dropped to her belly and rested her jaws on his abs just over Rocky’s forearm.
Yeah, the couch was comfortable all right. Heaven on earth.
“It means everything,” Jasper retorted to Tripp.
“Guys,” Rocky put in, “I don’t know if you noticed this but there are four people and a dog on this couch and none of us are touching, except, of course, me, your Dad and the dog. I think you and your babes can share.”
“Right,” Tripp grinned at her, seeing Roc curled into his old man and visualizing something else entirely.
Fucking hell.
“I want privacy with my babe, Tripp-o-matic,” Jasper started, “you and your babe take off.”
Shit.
“Same here,” Tripp shot back.
“Jesus,” Layne muttered, thinking of his two hormonal, teenaged boys, he looked down at Roc. “Maybe this couch wasn’t a good idea.”
“They’ll get used to it,” Rocky muttered.
That was what he was afraid of.
“All right!” Vera shouted, pretending to walk down the stairs casually. “The Colts game starts at one and I’m making my Mexican layer dip. I need to go to the store. Does anyone want anything?”
“Mexican dip sounds awesome!” Tripp cried even though he’d downed five pancakes a half an hour earlier.
“I’m good, Gram,” Jasper replied.
Vera disappeared into the kitchen, calling, “Rocky, honey?”
“I don’t need anything, thanks, Vera,” Rocky answered.
“Tanner?” his mother shouted.
“Nothin’, Ma,” Layne returned and Devin came down the stairs.
When he did, both Jas and Tripp went still and their eyes were riveted on Devin. Obviously having missed their ascent, they nevertheless cottoned on immediately to the fact that both Vera and Devin were upstairs, this was unusual and they were up there together for reasons unknown and therefore suspect.
Devin made matters worse when he turned to the crew on the sectional and announced, “I’m goin’ with Vera.”
Vera rounded the corner hitching her purse on her shoulder and her eyes came to the couch. “Be back soon,” she declared on a huge smile and, after securing her purse strap, she gave them a finger wave.
All the eyes on the couch, except Blondie’s, watched Vera and Dev walk to the door, out of it and then they all looked through the window, Jasper even curling up and shifting to get a view, as Devin helped Vera into the Calais, Dev rounded it, got in and they drove off.
Rocky and Layne settled back in but Jasper and Tripp kept their eyes on the window even when Vera and Dev were out of view.
Then his boys’ eyes came to him.
“What was that?” Tripp breathed and Rocky giggled.
“Yeah, I didn’t think Dev even liked Gram and he, like, held her door for her,” Jasper whispered.
“That’s the gentlemanly thing to do, Jasper,” Rocky advised him and Jasper’s eyes cut to her.
“Dev’s not gentlemanly.”
Rocky giggled again.
“How about we let that play out how it plays out,” Layne ordered through suggestion.
“Let what play out?” Tripp was still talking on a breath.
Rocky giggled again.
“Whatever,” Layne muttered, confronted with the possibility of a Devin and Vera couple, live and in person, not knowing how he felt about it and deciding he was just not going to think about it at all.
However, Layne was not going to get this because Roc decided to educate the Layne men.
“A woman doesn’t stop being a woman just because she becomes a grandmother.”
“Roc,” Layne said low as three sets of male eyes focused on her.
“It’s true,” Rocky returned and added, “I think they’re cute.”
“Euw,” Tripp mumbled then Jasper and Tripp stared at her with identical expressions on their face that clearly stated, gross.
“Let’s stop talking about this,” Layne ordered.
“Why?” Roc asked with sham innocence.